1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the circulation of air in a room and, more particularly, to a device and method for circulating air between the floor and ceiling of a room to reduce a temperature stratification and decrease the energy required to maintain the room at a given temperature while conditioning the air to control temperature and humidity thereof.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Temperature stratification of air in a room caused by the rising of hot air and the descending of cold air causes heating and cooling equipment to be inefficient in maintaining a given temperature in the room in that the temperature differential between the floor and ceiling is normally from 10.degree. to 24.degree. F. An air circulating device for reducing such temperature stratification is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,479 to Isaac C. Whiteley, and this device represents a major step forward in the reduction of temperature stratification by replacing air drawn from one level of a room and supplied to another level with air drawn from the other level. In this manner, air circulation at both the ceiling and floor levels of a room is accomplished while air from the ceiling and floor levels is exchanged without requiring a natural return path, as required in the prior art as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,347,025 to Wiley and 3,827,342 to Hughes.
While the air circulating device of the Whiteley patent has been found to be extremely effective in reducing temperature stratification of rooms, the air circulating device of such patent does not modify or condition the air to serve as an air treatment or heating unit and, thus, has not as yet reached its full potential.